Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com.
East Suburban Artists League exhibit
The East Suburban Artists League invites the public to a Dec. 14 reception for its exhibit at Gallery Space in the Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard.
It will be from 6-8 p.m. and will showcase pieces from a variety of ESAL artists. Some works will be for sale. The gallery will be open through Dec. 27.
For more, see ESALart.org.
Volunteer bell ringers needed
The Salvation Army is seeking volunteer bell ringers through Dec. 20 on Fridays and Saturdays at the Delmont Walmart.
Volunteers can sign up for a 1-hour shift between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Walmart is at 6700 Hollywood Boulevard in Salem.
For more, email sadelmont13@gmail.com.
Delmont Pilgrimage
The annual Delmont Pilgrimage will be Dec. 7-8 at Shields Farm in Delmont, as well as the Pilgrimage Jr. the afternoon of Dec. 8.
Experience a walk through the Nativity story with actors, live animals and more. It will be from 5-9 p.m. Dec 7 and 5-7 p.m. Dec. 8. The Pilgrimage Jr. is at 2-4 p.m. Dec. 8.
Tickets and more information are at DelmontPilgrimage.com.
American Legion scholarships
The Pennsylvania American Legion is taking entries for its annual essay contest. Winners will receive $3,500, $3,000 or $2,500 scholarships.
The contest is open to students in multiple categories: grades 6-8 and 9-12. Students can be from public, private, parochial, cyber/charter or home-schooled.
Students must submit their essay by mail or hand delivery to their local American Legion post by Jan. 8, 2025 for those in grades 9-12, and by Feb. 5, 2025, for those in grades 6-8. Complete rules and regulations are available at PA-legion.com/programs/student-and-youth/essay-program or by emailing wareagles79@hotmail.com.
The Legion also hosts an oratorical contest with scholarships offering $7,500, $5,000 and $4,000. That contest is only open to those in grades 9-12. More information is available at Legion.org/oratorical or by emailing jgdrnjevich@aol.com.
Holiday events
• Export Light Up Night will take place at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 outside the Export Fire Department at the corner of Washington and Lincoln avenues.
The evening will include a fish fry at the Export Moose from 3-8 p.m., a dance performance by DeStella Dance Centre, live music from 6-8 p.m. at Keystone Church, and Santa’s arrival at 7 p.m.
There will also be a lottery tree raffle and the annual cookie crawl.
• Santa at Sardis will take place from 1-4 p.m. Dec. 7 at Sardis Park, on Rocky Hill Lane in Murrysville.
The annual celebration will include campfires, s’mores, hot cocoa, cookies and photos with Santa.
Parking is limited and families are encouraged to carpool. In addition, the field is often wet and/or muddy and proper footwear is also encouraged.
The event is also seeking volunteers. If interested, call 724-327-2100, ext. 131 or 115.
• Breakfast with the Clauses, 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 7 at the White Valley AMVETS, 2100 Carolina Street in Murrysville. Hosted by the Delmont Rotary’s Rotaract Club.
There will be a “reindeer pancake bar” with fresh fruit and assorted toppings along with sausage, homemade cookies and beverages. There will also be face painting and crafts for children.
The cost is $7 for anyone over 13 years old, $5 for those ages 3-12, and free for those 2 years and under.
• Kiski Valley Community Band Christmas concert, 7 p.m. Dec. 7 at Christ Lutheran Church, 5330 Old Logans Ferry Road, Murrysville.
Donations will be accepted to benefit Trinity Lutheran Church, North Side, Pittsburgh, and the Kiski Valley Food Bank.
• Jingles & Gingerbread at the Murrysville Community Library, 6-8 p.m. Dec. 9 at the library, 4130 Sardis Road.
The evening will include festive crafts, entertainment from the Penn-Trafford Flute Choir, Laurel Harmony Chorus and Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church Bell Choir, and chances to win raffle baskets.
• Bus trip to People’s Gas Holiday Market in Downtown Pittsburgh, will take place Dec. 11, hosted by the Murrysville and Hempfield recreation departments.
The bus still stop to pick up participants at Hempfield Park (22o Forbes Trail Road, Hempfield) at 10 a.m. and at Murrysview Shoppes (5030 William Penn Hwy., Murrysville) at 10:30 a.m. The bus will leave the market at 3 p.m.
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The cost is $35 per person and includes light snacks.
• A special Polar Express event along with a live reading of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” will take place at 5 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Delmont Public Library with guest Kenneth Serfass.
Serfass regularly appears at local libraries and events, typically as a re-enactor portraying past presidents like Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.
The event is for children ages 2-10. Registration is required by calling 724-468-5329 and only 20 spots are available.
The library is at 75 School Street in Delmont.
• Breakfast with Santa, 9-11 a.m. Dec. 14 at the Delmont Volunteer Fire Department, 2360 Route 66. Cost is $7 for adults, $4 for children ages 3-9, and free for children under 3 years old.
The morning will include Santa’s arrival at 9 a.m., letters to Santa, a coloring contest and a special treat for all participating children.
Reservations are required by calling 724-689-5591.
• Monticello Lights, 6-9 p.m. Dec. 14-15 along Monticello Drive in Delmont. Enjoy some of the most intense holiday decorating you’re likely to encounter as the neighborhood competes to see who can earn the most donations for Delmont Meals on Wheels and WTAE’s Project Bundle-Up.
Attendees can “vote” on their favorite house by donating as they drive by in person or via Venmo.
• A special live reading of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” by Kenneth Serfass will take place Dec. 14 at Trinity United Church of Christ in Delmont.
The reading will be at noon, Dec. 14 at the church, 39 East Pittsburgh Street in Delmont.
Attendees are invited to bring a food item to donate to the Westmoreland Food Bank, a new unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots program or a new pet toy for the Action for Animals shelter in Latrobe.
Refreshments will be available during a 20-minute intermission and after the program.
No registration is required; the program is free to attend.
• Delmont Holidaze, 3-7 p.m. Dec. 15 at Rose Wigfield Parklet, 27 Greensburg Street. The afternoon will include live music, food trucks, craft vendors, a kids’ activity area and a parade with Santa and the Elf Squad at 3 p.m.
In addition, the borough will give away a dozen brand-new bicycles and children will receive a special toy from Santa.
Priest shares journey at ‘Boomers & Beyond’
The Rev. David Slusarick, parochial vicar at Mother of Sorrows Parish in Murrysville, St. John’s in Delmont and St. Mary’s in Export will be the featured speaker at the Dec. 10 “Boomers & Beyond” speaker series.
Slusarick will share the story of his journey to the priesthood. The presentation will begin at noon at Mother of Sorrows social hall, 4202 Old William Penn Highway in Murrysville.
There is no cost to attend. Participants may bring a bag lunch and a guest.
Upcoming public meetings
• Delmont council, 7 p.m. Dec. 10 at the borough building, 77 Greensburg Street. Agendas are posted in advance at DelmontBoro.com.
• Export council, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at the borough building, 5821 Washington Avenue. Agendas are posted in advance at ExportPennsylvania.com.